Angels and Demons: Searching for Elysium
by Avenger of Mythos
Summary: Star Trek x-over! Emperor Anakin Solo dispatches a skilled team abord a Star Destroyer to find a legendary weapon. When they encounter it, it throws them into the world of Star Trek, where they must build up their own empire and fight their own wars.
1. Chapter 1

Hello people. Here is a story I've decided to write after viewing an interesting site, called _Star Wars vs Star Trek_. As you might guess from the site name, this story will be a cross-over between the universes of Star Trek and Star Wars, and I'm looking forward to doing it. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Don't own much in this story, except Katel, Lieutenant Richards, the _Nova_, the _Godhammer_, and any other original ship classes I make. Everything else is owned by Paramount or Lucasfilms, unless I list it.

Original vessels introduced this chapter:

_-Vestige­_-Class Star Destroyer  
_-Nova_-Class Star Destroyer  
_-Paradoxic_-Class Light Cruiser

**

* * *

**

Angels and Demons: Searching for Elysium

_Chapter 1_

"Sir! We're taking heavy fire to the starboard deflectors! Long-range communications have been jammed!"

Admiral Halfrey nodded silently to his crewman who had shouted across the bridge to him. The man was young, obviously, and one of the new trainees. How he got a placement on the _Discontinuity_ was a mystery to Halfrey, but no matter. He had more pressing matters at the moment. For a moment he felt saddened that that young trainee would soon be dead.

"Captain. Lower the shields." Halfrey's voice was calm and cool, not betraying the worry he felt. The _Discontinuity_ was a _Vestige_-class Star Destroyer, two kilometers in length, and stronger than an Imperator, but the planetary defenses of this strange colony were more well established than he'd been lead to believe. His hard brown eyes glinted slightly as his captain looked up at him in shock.

"But sir! If we lower the shields-" the captain was cut off by the stare that Halfrey shot him from under the black locks of his fringe. Unlike Palpatine's empire, the empire of Emperor Solo was a lot more forgiving about expressing individuality, but still preferred experience and suitable image from its commanders. Halfrey's hair, which fell just below the ears, was streaked through with a peppering of gray, unsurprising at his age of fifty.

An explosion rumbled through the ship as one of the shields fell, destroying several generators. Halfrey listened in on the chattered reports coming in from his commlink. The _Discontinuity _couldn't take much more of the battering it was taking.

Admiral Halfrey sighed a heavy sigh, knowing what would happen if the shields were lowered, but well aware of what would happen otherwise.

"Captain, drop the shields, and put full power to the tractor beams. We have to launch as many ships as we can, so some of us will have a chance of escape. The _Discontinuity_ suffered major hull breaches on entering the atmosphere of the planet, and once the shields fall the ships will not have time to escape." Admiral Halfrey stared impassively at the captain he barely knew; completely aware he was signing that man's death warrant, along with his own.

"However, if we drop the shields we can shunt the power to the thrusters and turn my ship to port, allowing the less damaged side to take the brunt of the attack, and shielding the starboard docking bay, which is our only hope for people to survive. We have the only map for the _Godhammer_, and I'll be damned if we don't get it back to the Emperor. Drop shields."

The captain, a man of forty five, lowered his eyes and pressed a button on his commlink.

"Lower shields."

There was a flurry of activity as the once-great ship, now a mass of flames and broken hull, began to slowly rotate with its lone remaining sublight engine. Turbolaser fire lanced upwards from the planet, scoring and rending the hull deeply. On the side that faced deep space, a swarm of TIE Defenders, assault shuttles, scouts and _Lambda_-class craft shot out of the Star Destroyer. Several flashes of laser fire lanced across the spatial horizon, as two battle cruisers of unknown origin shot down the majority of the craft. The smaller fighters screamed and yowled as they took hits that sent them spiraling away, caught in the planetary gravity mass. A few of the ships slammed into the cruisers, causing small explosions.

Aboard the _Discontinuity_ Halfrey watched the surprise approach of the battle cruisers with a feeling of sinking dread. As the ships ripped through his only hopes of getting a map through to the Emperor, Halfrey came to a decision. His ship was about to be destroyed, and he planned to take out some of the enemy along with him.

"Captain, accelerate to maximum speed. Mark, twenty degrees starboard."

The captain glanced at the viewport and understood immediately.

"As you order, Admiral. It's been an honour to work with you, sir."

Admiral Halfrey inclined his head to signal that he felt the same. A moment later the Star Destroyer crashed straight into the side of one of the alien ships, exploding instantly, and taking the other ship with it.

In the confusion, a single TIE Defender winked into hyperspace and vanished.

* * *

The glowing red blade slammed down onto another lightsaber blade, this one glowing a deep vibrant purple so dark it appeared black. The woman who was wielding the purple blade grunted and hefted it up, throwing her mentor back a little. She flicked her head, causing her waist-length braid of dark brown hair to wrap around his arm and jerked backwards, unsteadying him. Then she drew back her lightsaber and swung it down at the exposed neck. The blade halted mere millimeters from the man's jugular vein, humming threateningly.

"Very good Katel. Your training is nearly over. Soon, you will be a Sith."

The voice was gravelly and hoarse, and Katel stared into the yellowed eyes of her mentor, Emperor Anakin Solo. He was well over 100 now, and the wear was showing. However, the Dark Side of the Force kept him strong. Anakin smiled at her, pleased, and then shut down his lightsaber. Katel followed suit, and clipped it to her belt.

"Now go, clean up. You've had a hard day of training Katel." Emperor Solo laughed, again in the hoarse croak of a voice he had left, and then turned to sit back in his throne. Katel bowed respectfully and headed towards a refresher station.

When she arrived, Katel stared at herself in the reflective panel, studying her figure. She was young, only just turned sixteen, but had been training in the way of the Force since she was three. She wiped her brow, which was perspiring a lot, and stared, into her own eyes, which were a clear emerald green. She had a piercing stare, and she frowned slightly at herself, drawing her full lips into a slight grimace. She was exhausted after that training session.

Moaning slightly from exhaustion, Katel unclipped her belt, and then unzipped her training outfit, a body-tight black second skin which clung to her lithe, athletic body. Throwing the suit into a locker, Katel stepped into a shower and let the hot water run over her, releasing the tension in her muscles. She massaged her legs, and her abdomen, wincing slightly at the taut feeling in them. But she didn't mind. Soon, she would become the heir to Anakin's throne, and then she could enjoy life. Thirteen years of training were leading up to her moment as the heir to the throne, and she wanted it.

* * *

"Your Highness… we have a report from someone called Lieutenant Richards. Says he's from the _Discontinuity_ task force. Important information apparently, for your eyes only." The voice crackled over the commlink and Emperor Solo smirked. So his feelings had been right. The _Discontinuity _had been lost. Why else would a relative unknown be handing him this report?

"Upload it to my personal terminal. And send the man up, if he is in the condition for it." Emperor Solo issued his orders, and turned to his datapad with excitement. This may well be what he was looking for. Fifty years of searching, and he might finally have the map to the _Godhammer_. Then the power of the Galactic Empire would be absolute. Then no one would disobey him.

Unlike Palpatine before him, Solo intended to run his Empire with common sense. He'd immediately placed into stasis almost every resource-hungry project that had been in progress, and he believed in covert propaganda, and carefully cultivated appeals to the good morals of his people. The attack on the _Discontinuity_ was one of those. Now he could declare a war on the rogue system of Dov'nik II, and all others in the Unknown Regions who came to its aid. All while generating support from the masses. After all, the uninformed feared the unknown. The fact that he'd stolen a precious treasure they'd sworn to protect was entirely coincidental, and would be covered up as such.

Solo settled down into his throne, a large obsidian piece that sat in the middle of the Emperor's Chamber at the highest point of the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. In front of him stretched a panorama view of the city that stretched onward over the horizon. It was a clear night, but few stars could be seen through the blazing spectacle of light the city threw through the window. Solo gave a cursory glance through the window and then looked down at the illuminated datapad. As information scrolled across the screen, bathing his face in an almost ethereal aura, his withered, gnarled face broke into a triumphant grin. He had it. The _Godhammer_ was his.

Closing his datapad, Solo felt a presence approach him, and smiled tightly. Lieutenant Richards. And he was just about to meet one of the Emperor's legendary Shadow Guard. The Shadow Guard were the best of the best of the Imperial military, those with a little something extra. And with the Emperor's help, they had become legends to the galaxy at large. By manipulating their minds and auras, Anakin Solo had made them completely subservient to him, but with better reflexes, and lateral thinking ability than normal citizens. By subtly tweaking the aura of a Shadow Guard, Anakin had ensured they would never be noticed unless they drew attention to themselves. This made them masters of stealth and infiltration, and they were highly valued to the Emperor.

* * *

Lieutenant Dylan Richards stepped out of the turbolift and stared down the imposing hallway. It was darkened almost to the point of pitch blackness, with only small running lights leading the way to the huge double doors. However, by the time Dylan had taken five steps, huge illumination panels had activated, bathing the whole hall in natural-feeling light.

Dylan looked around. The hallway was completely bare, with plain white walls, and reflective metallic floor plates. Dylan stared into one for a moment, observing his image. He was young, twenty-four in fact. Extraordinarily young to be a lieutenant in the Imperial war machine. But then, he was brilliant, strategic and skilful, so it was a well deserved honour.

He had wavy ginger hair which was a source of good-natured ribbing from many of his comrades, and this hair was loose and short, and the waves made it spike very slightly over his forehead. Below that was set a pair of aqua-green eyes, which were deep and boyish, and which looked luminous and blue in the right light. He considered his enigmatic eyes his best physical feature. Below his eyes was a narrow, straight nose, and then his friendly-looking mouth. He was an Imperial full of good cheer and humour, a rare sight in the upper echelons.

Dylan studied his grey uniform, picking a piece of lint off the suit that looked stiff and strange on his lean form. He measured up to an average of maybe five feet ten inches, so he was in general a fairly average looking person. Dylan grinned at the thought, and continued on his way towards the door. As he reached the behemoth entrance Dylan paused, puzzled. There seemed to be no way to enter, no panels, no switches, nothing.

"Declare yourself, soldier!" snapped a deep, brawny voice from behind Dylan. Dylan jumped and spun around, to stare straight into the blood-red iris of a Shadow Guard. The eyes were the distinctive feature of the Guard, and the man's look seemed to fit Dylan's idealized version perfectly. The man was huge, around seven foot, and his entire body was toned and muscular. He had tight cropped raven black hair, and a twisted scar crawled across his face. The man radiated power and tense energy.

Dylan understood the power part. After all, the Shadow Guard were Force Adepts, and quite capable of taking on entire armies successfully. The man wore a suit that repressed all technological readings that could be gleaned from a living being, and clipped to his belt was a high-power PK-23 Imperial Disruptor Pistol, and a small Lightdagger. Cradled in his arms was a customized E-11-23 Blastech Carbine, its muzzle shoved into Dylan's chest. Dylan gulped.

"Lieutenant Dylan Richards, serial code 12-62-90, 273rd TIE Squadron, _Discontinuity_ fleet services." Dylan snapped off a perfect salute, and glanced nervously at the guard. The man blinked for a moment, seeming to be trying to recall something. Then the man's look hardened, and then Dylan felt an almost tentative, barely noticeable touch on his mind as the man checked the validity of his claim.

"Alright. Go in." The man pressed a button on his belt and the doors slid open smoothly. Dylan straightened his collar, and marched into the huge chamber. He stood at the edge of the chamber, waiting for his Emperor's command.

"Step forward. Come to me, Lieutenant Richards." The voice was commanding and booming, and Dylan approached at a rather fast clip. He came to the throne and knelt in front of it, averting his eyes.

"I thank you for the honour of this meeting, my Lord." Lieutenant Richards' voice was humble and quiet.

"You are the sole survivor of the _Discontinuity_ fleet?" Emperor Solo commanded. Dylan hastily answered, still looking down at the ground.

"Yes my lord. We established a rendezvous point, as per standard mission protocol, but three days after the incident I was the only member who had reported to the point. I fear what you say is the truth my lord."

Emperor Anakin Solo stared down at him, and then placed his hand under Dylan's chin.

"You may look up. Now… I've been observing your mission record," at this the datapad flashed with an image of Dylan, and a list of his activities. "It makes for entertaining reading. You seem to have a skill for achieving above and beyond the call of duty. You utilized a Kukateni Manoeuvrer and a Morg Sambl formation in the Battle of Dantooine against insurgent forces to save the _Discontinuity _and the _Vibrant Hail_ from destruction, and used a unique method of tractor beam manipulation to crush and shatter the hull of a Nebulon B frigate while commanding the _Congratulatory Bantha_, a mere modified assault shuttle. Among many other things." Emperor Solo raised an eyebrow and the edge of his mouth twitched.

"I believe you deserve somewhat of a reward for your service to the Empire. Thus, I have a proposal for you."

Emperor Solo reached into his robes and pulled a datachip from them. He placed it into Dylan's palm, and stared him in the eyes.

"Take this, and view it at your leisure. Your new orders, responsibilities and perks are all there, _Captain_ Richards. I think you'll find your new orders most… exceptional." Again, Solo's mouth twitched slightly. Dylan stared down at the chip, stunned. He eventually managed to shoot a shocked look at Anakin.

"Captain, sir? But… but.. I don't understand… such a promotion… and..," stuttered Dylan, quite awe-struck. Solo chuckled, a throaty sound.

"It is well deserved, Captain. One thing though. You must learn to make your emotions less visible." Solo glanced at him and then waved his hand dismissively.

"That is all. You may leave. All further information is in that datachip."

"Thank you, thank you my lord." Dylan bowed hastily and backed out the door, then strode stiffly to the turbolift, staring at the datachip in his hand. Such a promotion, and from the Emperor himself!

_There must be more to this mission than I would normally think. And more to me as well, if the Emperor has noticed me.

* * *

_

Katel snapped her lightsaber to her belt and stalked into the Emperor's throneroom, eager to find out why he had summonsed her. When she saw him, she tried to get a glimpse into his mind; however it proved untouchable even to her prodigious skills.

Emperor Solo had his back to her, and was looking at a giant holoscreen, but she was not surprised to see him beckon her to him. She strode over to his side and looked at the holoscreen. It was a map of the galaxy, like the map the late Emperor had installed at Mount Tantiss. It was filled with exquisite detail. Katel looked at the screen and quickly located her home planet, Chorax. Then she shifted her attention to her master.

"Katel. I have found a map to _Godhammer_. I now know of its location. This is a great moment for us, Katel." Solo's voice was reverent and he seemed to be in a slightly dreamy state.

Katel shot him a look and her insides tensed up. So the _Godhammer_ wasn't just a myth? She'd always dismissed it, but as usual, her Emperor was right and she was wrong. She thought about the legend. An artificial planet, which drew upon the power of the Force, and had technology beyond anybody's dreams. If it was real, it surly had to be over 300,000 years old! What a find if it really was real! In her stomach, Katel began to feel the first stirrings of excitement.

"So… where is it then? Where is _Godhammer?_" asked Katel with some interest. Emperor Solo motioned to the galactic map, which shifted and zoomed in on a part of the galaxy. Katel was surprised to find it zoom towards the Galactic Core instead of the Unknown Regions.

"What do you know about the Galactic Core Katel?" asked Emperor Solo as he crossed his hands behind his back and stared at the map. Katel looked at him, slightly surprised.

"Well… it has all the main planets of the Galactic Empire's political status, and is where the biggest civilizations live. The most advanced and wealthiest planets tend to be in the Galactic Core."

Solo nodded. All of what she said was true.

"What you didn't mention Katel was that we've never been to the true Galactic Core. There's a large area there we've never explored. Why is that?" asked Solo, acting like he didn't know.

Katel thought for a moment, then it occurred to her.

"The ambient gravity wells are too strong, and the rays of the cluster stars too powerful. Also, It's believed there are powerful chains of black holes scattered throughout the Core, and no planet that did manage to form despite the gravity pull would be uninhabitable. No point to exploring." Katel announced, light dawning on her as to how the _Godhammer _could stay hidden for 300,000 years.

"Exactly. No ship would be able to survive a trip into the Galactic Core. It's the perfect hiding place for the _Godhammer_. I want you to retrieve it for me, Katel," added Emperor Solo casually, as if what they were discussing was an everyday conversation.

"What!" said Katel, her voice rasing a fraction out of surprise. She'd not been expecting this. She glared at Emperor Solo, and demanded to know how he planned for her to accomplish such a thing. Solo merely motioned for her to follow. Exiting his throne room, Emperor Solo stepped into the turbolift, Katel by his side, and ordered it to move to the hangar.

The turbolift halted, and they stepped out to the hangar. Emperor Solo walked towards his personal yacht, a _Paradoxic_-Class Light Cruiser, which was sitting majestically in the middle of the hangar. Surrounding it was a crowd of people. As Emperor Solo approached, all the people in the crowd bowed deeply, falling silent as he moved past, his heels clicking on the metal floor. He stepped up into the entrance of his yacht, and then turned to face the crowd.

"My faithful servants!" called Anakin, his voice echoing across the room. The crowd shuffled slightly, but remained silent.

"My faithful servants! All of you who received orders from me, please board my yacht. The rest, please leave the hangar." With that, Emperor Solo turned again and entered his yacht. There was a flurry of movement as people boarded and left. Katel calmly stepped on board, to see what all this was about. There were about 100 people in the yacht.

"My emperor, may I respectfully ask where we are headed?" asked one of the officers nervously. It was Captain Richards, eager to find out what all this was about.

"My private shipyards, in the Tamora system. Now, relax, enjoy. The trip will last about an hour." With that said, Emperor Solo retreated to his private chambers, and Katel followed, not wanting to mix with others at the moment. Emperor Solo's private shipyards… the only thing she could find out about Project Nova was that it was stationed at these shipyards, and she believed she was about to find out what Project Nova was.

* * *

In the middle of space, a few thousand kilometers from the giant metal structure of the shipyards, there was a brief flicker, and then the luxury yacht, two hundred and fifty metres in length, fifty wide, fifty deep, returned to realspace. The modified sublight engines fired up, and the ship accelerated towards the shipyards. The many passengers crowded around the viewports, curious to see what the fuss was about. They couldn't see anything unusual. There was a structure, about 30 kilometers long, with various implements and appendages poking out and floating around it. There was a suspicious lack of ships though.

"What are we looking at?" asked one captain impatiently. The others murmured and conversed, some still studying the structure. Captain Richards stared at it intently, something niggling him. There was something about the structure that made him think of a… but that couldn't be right. There couldn't be. No chance.

"That's… a Star Destroyer…" uttered Captain Richards in disbelief, his eyes widening slightly. The others stared at him incredulously, dismissed the notion, then… gasped as the shape came closer and they realized it really was a Star Destroyer.

Dylan looked at the ship. It was huge, at least twenty nine kilometers in length, twelve wide at the stern, and at least eight kilometers deep. The dorsal surface was covered in a honeycomb cortex of equipment and metal, and protruding from the front was a large spike that Dylan recognized as a superlaser. The engines at the back were huge, and there were 17 that he could count. Dylan wasn't sure but he thought that attached to the stern might be some kind of miniature shipyard, about 3 kilometers in length. Studded along the length of the ventral and dorsal planes were hemispheres of unknown purchase, and near the back on the ventral surface was a cannon that pointed directly at the laser spike. The entire Star Destroyer was a blood red.

Emperor Solo stepped into the observation chamber everyone else was in, and motioned at the ship.

"People, this is your new command ship. This is the _Nova_."

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

.Okay, a note to everyone who might be paying any attention to the ship classes I introduce throughout the story, the _Nova_ is classed as a Star Dreadnaught, not a Star Destroyer. This is because of its size and power, and dreadnaught is a far more suitable naval term for it. Also, I am currently making a site which will list the statistics of the various ships shown throughout the story.

Original vessels introduced this chapter:

_Hym'br­_-Class Tetra-Dreadnaught

_Qarrda_-Class Tetra-Dreadnaught

_Guardian_-Class Star Dreadnaught

_Genome_-Class Star Battlecruiser

**Angels and Demons: Searching for Elysium**

_Chapter 2_

"The _Nova_… I've never seen such a huge ship," murmured Captain Richards quietly as he stepped out of the yacht and into the docking bay. The bay itself was huge, able to accommodate an_ Imperator_-Class Star Destroyer with fair comfort. Captain Richards breathed in the cool, ventilated air and looked around the bay. It was obviously a brand new ship, as the only use the docking bay had seen was construction ships. He walked towards where everyone else seemed to have gathered, not sure what was of such interest. Emperor Solo himself had remained aboard the yacht, and already it was warming up its initial launch engines.

Heels clicking on the floor, Captain Richards drew towards the spot, and began to catch glimpses of the centre of the crowd. It seemed there were people there to take them on partial tours of the ship. Remembering his mission specifications, Captain Richards looked for a certain Admiral Trask. He spotted him, standing near the corner, in his immaculately pressed grey uniform, his grey hair parted neatly over his brown. He had stern blue eyes, and his lips were pressed into a thin line. Richards approached him and saluted flawlessly. Admiral Trask returned the motion.

"Captain Richards, sir."

Admiral Trask gave him a looking-over and snorted, eyeing him disdainfully.

"You're just a boy. No Captain is that young. The Emperor must be a fool to appoint someone like you to the _Nova_. Not bad enough we have a mere girl running the show," growled Trask with agitation. Richards blinked, taken aback by the comment.

"What do you mean sir?"

Trask pointed to Katel, who stood apart from the crowd. She was reading a datapad that the Emperor had provided her with.

"Her. She is apparently the leader of this mission. If she orders something, we have to order it. We'll never get any battle success if we have a commander who will run at the slightest conflict. And to expect someone with no experience at all on a starship command unit to lead us is insane." Trask clipped his words, but kept his tone level as he spoke.

Captain Richards observed the young Sith apprentice. She looked cool and collected to him, but that was no indication of aptitude. Still, he gave her the benefit of the doubt.

"By your leave sir, I do believe that the Emperor knows what he is doing. After all, isn't she rumored to be the heir to his throne?" asked Richards calmly. Trask nodded almost imperceptibly, but didn't seem any happier. He looked at Captain Richards again, then glanced at his holopad.

"You were the last in the group. Let's move to the command bridge, crew. Follow me." With this, Trask strode towards a large turbolift, which could comfortably fit the 6 of them to go up. Richards saw other groups, maintenance, gunners, starfighter commanders, and all sorts of groups moving off in various directions. Richards entered the turbolift and it zoomed off towards the bridge.

* * *

Katel finished reading her private report from the Emperor and looked around the almost empty docking bay. Two darktroopers had remained to escort her around the ship. Most of the crew was already aboard, had been since the ship became habitable. Solo had just decided to bring in the best of the best once it was completed, to command his mighty ship. 

She glanced at the two darktroopers. They were hers to play with. Everyone on the ship was hers to play with. Everyone on this ship had to bow before her. She smiled at the thought, then turned to one of the troopers. First she'd need to learn about the ship she was to rule.

"Trooper." At the mention of his title, the trooper swung to full attention, snapping off a salute, waiting for a return one. It didn't come. Katel stared at him with disapproval.

"I am not one of your military associates. My name is Katel. You will address me as such. We are all part of the Empire, working towards the same goal. We are all equal, except for one fact. I own you. So from now on, do not salute me, and only address me as Katel. That is the way it shall be." Katel smiled and then continued on.

"I've read my reports as to what this mission is about, now I need a tour. You are my escort yes?" she asked the man sharply. A flicker of consternation appeared across his face as he replied.

"Yes sir, I mean Lad- Katel. Follow us. WE will show you to your private quarters and fill you in on the _Nova _along the way."

The two men turned and walked away, Katel following them silently.

* * *

"You stand aboard the bridge of the _Nova_. 29 000 meters in length, this is the biggest ship ever operational in the Imperial Navy. It has a crew of over one million, and is packed with the most powerful and advanced technology in the galaxy." 

Trask indicated a holographic image of the _Nova_ to his audience, who watched silently, not showing the awe they felt. The area he pointed to was a unique command tower structure which had a main support pylon, but extended so far ahead of it a second pylon was required, creating a circular tunnel in the middle of the tower. It extended forward over five kilometers in total, slightly overshadowing the cortex that covered the dorsal hull.

"This command ship possesses weaponry beyond what entire fleets are capable of fielding, with 1500 heavy turbolasers, 4000 light turbolasers, 2000 heavy laser cannons, 300 ion cannons, 250 tractor beam emplacements, 45 gravity well projectors, 1000 concussion missile launchers and of course, the modified co-axial superlaser." As Admiral Trask ran these statistics off, the jaws of most of the command crew fell open in disbelief. This ship had weapons everywhere!

Admiral Trask pointed towards the rear of the ship, at the strange engine structure. It was terrace so the highest level extended back from the back of the command tower, while the bottommost bank was right under the frontal pylon. There were five banks in total.

"Each of the banks you see possesses 3 primary sublight engines, a kilometer in diameter, and 4 tertiary engines, 200 meters each in diameter. This aft section covers an area over 68 square kilometers, and is the most vulnerable part of the _Nova_ though the sublight emissions will defend the aft quite well. Make sure you memorize the weaknesses of this ship, what few it has."

Captain Richards nodded, as did some of the other commanders. Richards wasn't worried though. As if anything could stand up to the _Nova_.

* * *

"Impressive weaponry. Continue." Katel nodded to the trooper on her right as she approached her quarters. 

"Yes, ma'am… Katel" corrected the trooper quickly as she shot him a glare. He continued hurriedly. "Due to advanced composite generators, the _Nova _possesses enough power to generate a shield with strength equal to that of a planetary shield of the highest level. Also, by reducing the power output of the superlaser, the recharge time for the laser has been reduced to around 5 minutes before it reaches full charge. Hyperdrive is Class I, of course."

Katel nodded approval as she stepped up to her door. She knew what was to come next. A month of preparation training, including skirmishes and drills. She looked forward to it, very much.

"Thank you. You may leave now." She closed the door to her chambers, and the troopers blinked and looked at each other.

"Did she just thank us?"

Katel observed her quarters with interest. These were her private operations quarters, not residential quarters as she'd expected. The chamber was designed very much like the diagrams she'd seen of the famous Grand Admiral Thrawn's chambers, with familiar double rings of holo-repeaters, and a tactical command board. Situated in the middle was a luxurious chair, which Katel sat in immediately, smirking. She studied the panel installed in the chair, and thumbed on the intercom.

"Admiral. Report," snapped Katel with some impatience. She was prone to mood swings, and the changes she was going through at her age didn't help. She wanted his attention right now.

"Admiral Trask reporting Lady Katel," came the clear, crisp reply, frosty in tone.

"Katel. Call me Lady again and I will kill you," growled Katel moodily, winding her hair around one of her fingers absently as she listened to Trask's report that the preliminary tour had been completed.

"Excellent. Let's start the training routine," ordered Katel, her eyes roving across a schedule she managed to bring up in front of her. There was supposed to be a week for adjustment…. But she couldn't give a damn.

"Um… the schedule has us for a week of adjustment first, Lad… Katel. I do suggest we take this opportunity." Admiral Trask stood firmly at the head of the bridge, his voice modulated and calm. Inside he was cursing Katel for her foolishness.

_She must be insane. Most of the command crew has no idea of the ship's capabilities, nor does she. I shall have to make sure to monitor her orders._

"Very well… Katel." Admiral Trask turned to a man behind him. "Alright, let's go. I believe that… Corellia is as good a place to start as any. There are insurgents barricading the planet. They are fools, but provide us with a perfect target. Lock co-ordinates for Corellia." Admiral Trask pressed his lips together grimly as he heard the intercom beep and thumbed it on.

"Yes… Katel?" asked Trask, struggling to call her such an informal name.

Down in her chambers, Katel had her brows furrowed in concentration as she focused on a particular mind aboard the crew.

"Override those orders. Someone in your crew wants revenge for something Admiral. Just in case you were interested. I can feel the pulsing rage." Katel's voice was dreamlike as she floated through her trance state.

Admiral Trask quickly surveyed the room, then replied.

"It's of no matter. The _Nova _will not be used for petty vengeance."

"Oh no… I want you to oblige him. Revenge is a powerful force. I wish for him to feed off it. Go where he tells you. That is an order Admiral."

Katel's eyes cracked open and she massaged her temples. Mind-reading was one of the more difficult Sith abilities, and it drained her.

Admiral Trask stared at the intercom with disbelief, then turned to face the crew, his face a mixture of resignation and resent, for both Katel, and the man who dared to override his orders.

"Who is it then? Who is the fool who has revenge on his mind?" snapped Trask, grumpily. Captain Richards calmly raised his hand in a salute.

"Me sir. By your leave, I wish to return to Dov'nik II, and destroy it. I lost a lot of good friends, and I want them avenged." Richards stared across the bridge into Trask's eyes, unfaltering in his gaze. Trask slumped slightly in resignation and turned to his navigator.

"Set a course for Dov'nik II."

* * *

The _Troll'ko Mo'rath, _a _Hym'br_-class Tetra-Dreadnaught, floated through the vastness of space. Far behind it, only just visible, was the planet it guarded, Dov'nik II. It was a massive ship, nine kilometers long. About as long as the biggest ships the Empire had, and much more powerful, the _Mo'rath_ was armed to the teeth. The hull was sleek and dark, and the bridge was located in a flat area that was attached to the front, perpendicular to the hull. On the dorsal and ventral surfaces were large weapons blisters and large triangular panels for extraordinarily long range sensors, and at the sides were small wings that housed tertiary engine banks. The entire thing looked a lot like a hammerhead-shark in fact. 

As it glided through space, a slight flicker appeared off to its left, and the sensors blipped for the briefest moment. However, further sensor scans confirmed nothing was within several lightweeks of the ship, so there was no threat.

* * *

Aboard the _Nova_, Captain Richards stared out of the view port at complete blackness. There was no light to be seen at all. He was a little surprised in fact. 

"The _Nova _has a cloaking device? That'd cost a lot for a ship like this… and the sensors are useless. How do we know what's out there?" he glanced at Admiral Trask.

"It was expensive. And we installed crystal grav-traps into the sensors, so we can detect objects through the cloaking shield. We'll approach the planet on a pre-programmed vector, and we'll have early warning of any approaching vessels."

Trask smiled inwardly. It was an ingenious way to approach a planet. He was disturbed by a sensor crewer approaching him.

"Admiral sir, the CGT has detected a gravity mass very near by. Small… a large ship at best." Admiral Trask smirked and nodded. He ordered the coordinates of the ship fed through to the gunnery station.

"Charge superlaser. Nominal charge only. Fire on my mark." Admiral Trask dispatched his orders, and observed the charge level of the superlaser. When it reached 100, he thumbed his intercom on again.

"Fire."

Directly below the bridge, on the ventral hull, a large cannon, two kilometers long, glowed and fired a beam straight at the superlaser spike. The beam flew through seventeen kilometers of open space, struck the spike, and was then redirected, the beam changed from red to green as a focusing crystal in the spike amplified the blast. The beam shot outwards and vanished as it passed beyond the stealth cloak.

Trask watched the monitor and smiled with satisfaction as several large shrapnel impacts were registered against the cloak.

"Excellent. Continue vectored approach, maintain cloak."

* * *

A mere fifty thousand kilometers from Dov'nik II, the second of the great battle ships, a _Qarrda_-Class Tetra-Dreadnaught, floated in space. It was vastly different from the _Mo'rath_, being shaped like a gianttwelve kilometer wide crescent. This ship was the _Twyleth Teg_. It was made of a strange type of metal, and had no obvious engines. Studded all over both sides of the hull were large half-kilometer obelisks of unknown purpose. On the port hull was a vicious blast mark, and several broken obelisks. These were the only signs that an Imperial Star Destroyer had ever met this ship. 

As it floated silently in space, the alien crew prepared for the Imperial fleet that was quickly approaching from hyperspace, intent on getting revenge for the destruction of the _Discontinuity_. The entire quadrant to the west of the ship seemed to shimmer slightly, and then a mass fleet emerged from hyperspace.

The fleet was composed of over twenty _Imperator_-class Star Destroyers, a few _Guardian_-class Star Dreadnaughts, several smaller _Genome­­-_class Star Battle cruisers, and several wings of TIEs. The fleet approached the silent ship quickly, several squadrons of TIE Avengers flying in for swift attacks.

The dorsal obelisks glowed momentarily, and then a flurry of beams poured forth from them, striking the squadrons with incredible accuracy, and destroying them immediately. When the Imperials saw this, the Star Destroyers moved into a defensive formation and began to shower long-range turbolaser blasts upon the hapless _Twyleth Teg_.

As the ship shook from the blasting it was taking, the dorsal and ventral obelisk networks glowed and then all the obelisks fired beams towards each other, connecting in a flash of light. The _Teg _glowed momentarily, and then fired a large beam straight towards the fleet. The beam impacted with a _Guardian_-class Dreadnaught, and began to slowly but surely dissolve the heavy plating of the ship, ignoring the shields completely. This barrage continued for around twenty seconds, and then the ship began to gout flame as the hull was stripped and internal reactors exposed. The beam hovered for a moment over one spot, severing the command tower from the main hull, causing the ship to spiral away into a second _Guardian_, destroying both.

* * *

The man sitting in front of the sensor console in the _Nova_'s bridge stared down at his screen, then alerted the Admiral. He pressed the comm. And hailed the commander. 

"Yes, what is it?" snapped Admiral Trask.

"You might want to check the CGT readings sir. We seem to be approaching several ships. There are quite a few large ones. Which should we target?"

Admiral Trask considered for a moment his options. Then he made his decision.

"Charge the superlaser… nominal, then drop the cloak. Find the greatest threat and destroy it."

The order was relayed to the gunners, Admiral Trask felt a tremble as the laser charged, and then… the darkness suddenly became flooded with pricks and beams of vicious light. Admiral Trask recoiled in surprise. A behemoth of a ship by normal standards seemed to be tearing through an Imperial fleet while it took a huge beating. However, the glimpse of the ship was only fleeting, as a lone _Guardian_ flailed and writhed in its death throes, and slammed into the ship's surface They both exploded, and this time the _Teg_ really did explode. A vast ring of superheated plasma burst from the ship, destroying the remaining fighers. The capital ships managed to survive mostly unharmed though, and Admiral Trask grimaced as a hail of comms began to flow through the channels.

"Don't respond to any of the comms. Charge superlaser to maximum, and destroy the planet. Then, we leave." Admiral Trask moved to the back of the bridge to watch the show. The superlaser fired, the ship jolted a little, and the beam swept over the planet, scorching and blackening the crust. The seas boiled instantly, and magma began to spew forth from the now-molten crust. Then as soon as it had started, the superlaser cut out, and the _Nova_-winked into non-existence through hyperspace.

Katel smiled as she gnawed on a ration bar. She'd become ravenous over the past week or so, and had become rather irritable because of it. Just the day before, she'd killed a crewmember for no real reason. It had seemed fun at the time.

* * *

Now the month of preparation was over, and the _Nova_ was a unanimous success. She had one final order to issue, and then the mission began in earnest. 

"Admiral. Are the Galactic Core coordinates locked?"

"Yes, Katel."

"Excellent. Enter hyperspace."

The _Nova_ flickered briefly, and vanished as it headed towards the Deep Core.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

To Lexington's Hammer, and anyone else who may wonder who this Emperor Anakin Solo may be, wait and find out. It's a fairly integral part of the story that will be revealed as the story goes on.

Original vessels introduced this chapter:  
_-Aryianrod­_-Class Commandship  
_-Chandrilla_-Class Destroyer  
_-Ruhiger_-Class Frigate  
_-Zephyrion­_-Class Carrier  
_-Hawkner_-Class Interceptor

* * *

**Angels and Demons: Searching for Elysium**

_Chapter 3_

The Deep Core. The very center of the Galactic Empire, an untamed area. Filled with star clusters, primordial black holes, and the _Godhammer_. At least Katel hoped so.

She stared out of the bridge viewport, at the distant glowing cluster that was the Deep Core. The special nav-computer designed just for a trip into the Deep Core was finalizing the least dangerous course into the Deep Core, having detected an empty space they could stop. The enhanced sensor arrays designed to pick up dangers from incredible distances had detected the area and indicated that it would be the most probable location of the _Godhammer_.

"Admiral, how is it proceeding?" snapped Katel moodily. She was in another of her bad days, and wasn't in any state to be patient. Admiral Trask growled slightly, and then pressed his comm unit.

"Status report?"

From the comm came a slightly tinny voice, warped by all the hardware between the transmission and receptor points.

"Nav-jump programming is 93 complete. It's going to be an arduous trip. The density of the Deep Core is going to turn this trip from an eight-hour trip to at least three weeks." The comm crackled and fell silent. Admiral Trask nodded to himself and issued some more commands.

"The computations will be complete within a quarter of an hour. Begin charging the grav-deflectors, the inertial-compensators and the localized ray-shield modules." Admiral Trask gave these orders to a man behind him, who moved away. A deep hum began to resonate throughout the _Nova_ as the hemispheres attached to the hulls began to prepare for their own purposes.

Captain Richards glanced at the status monitor, musing as he did.

_This ship is incredible. It must generate enormous amounts of power in order to run these devices. After all, repressing the gravity of black holes and star clusters isn't easy to do. I'm actually amazed that this ship is a fully operational warship. If someone had told me what was needed for a trip into the Deep Core I'd have said they'd need something at least 50 kilometers long, with almost all of the ship being devoted to surviving the Core. The size of this technology is amazing._

"Anything of interest Richards?" came the soft voice of Katel from just behind him. Richards turned calmly and indicated the monitor.

"Just checking the progress of the… generators preparing for… the… jump…" Captain Richards' voice slowed and became unsure as he felt a touch on his mind, and stared into Katel's deep ocean-green eyes. He could feel her poking through his mind, searching for something. Or maybe just browsing him, curious as to what made him tick.

"Ahem… Katel, what are you doing?" asked Richards boldly, knowing he should show more respect, but being blunt anyway.

"None of your business!" shouted Katel as she backed away and then thrust her arms forward, palms out. Dylan gasped as he felt a wave of force lift him off his feet and throw him bodily through the air, straight into a console.

"Never presume to question me Captain Richards. I own you, not the other way around," stated Katel coldly, and then strode out of the bridge, heading towards her command room. Dylan rolled over, clutching his bruised sides, and stood up, gazing at those looking at him.

"Ow…"

* * *

"Ma'am… I apologize, I mean Katel… the _Nova _is ready for hyperspace. Make the jump?"

Katel, who was curled up in her big comfy chair, sighed and put aside her nail file, then clicked the intercom.

"Yes, yes… make the jump." Katel rearranged herself in her chair as she felt a slight tug rumble through the superstructure. The _Nova_ shimmered a bit, and stretched into the realms of hyperspace.

_Twenty-three days… great. I'm stuck doing nothing on this damn ship for over three weeks. Since that idiot Trask takes care of all the mundane parts of commanding this ship, what the hell am I supposed to do?_

Drumming her fingers on the arm of her chair, Katel suddenly brightened as an idea occurred to her. She moved towards a locker on the wall of her command center, and snapped it open. She picked out her lightsaber, fingering it gently. It was longer than a normal lightsaber, but there was good reason for that. The lightsaber she wielded was of the double-bladed variety, a training device used by Jedi long ago. It was a difficult weapon to use, but she had mastered it, becoming a vortex of doom. She smiled at the thought and plucked her other lightsaber from the locker. This one was the normal variety, although somewhat simplistic, as it only had a single length and power intensity setting.

Weighing both in her hands, she strolled back to her chair and activated the intercom.

"Captain Richards, report to my command center. Now." As she ended the transmission, Katel stretched, and began to flex her arms, swinging her deactivated lightsaber in sharp arcs.

A few minutes later, the door to her chamber whirred open, and Captain Richards stepped in. He was caught by surprise as something was hurled towards his face. He snatched it out of the air, looking down at it. It was a lightsaber. He looked back up to see Katel launch herself from her chair straight towards him, another lightsaber activated.

Richards yelped and ducked to the side, barely avoiding the arc of her lightsaber. He fumbled with the one he held, trying to work out how to operate it. He held it out in front of him, still trying to turn it on, when Katel swung around. Her hair, which she'd braided into a single heavy plat, slammed into Dylan's face, sending him sprawling on the ground. She raised her lightsaber, ready to cut him down, when he rolled slightly so he could see her. He held his hands up in a warding off gesture, the useless lightsaber clutched loosely in one hand.

The hum of the lightsaber in Katel's ear, she swung it down towards Richards. She wouldn't kill him of course; the blade was only set to the lowest intensity. He'd just get a bit of a burn where she hit him. The blade came crashing towards Dylan, who was sure he was about to die. He yelped again, and instinctively clutched the lightsaber he held a little tighter. There was a flash of light and a brilliant yellow blade leapt from the lightsaber just as Katel's fell towards him. The two lightsabers clashed and the intensity of the hum deepened as they made contact.

"Good. Your reflexes are as good as I expected." Katel shut down her lightsaber and then prised the other from Captain Richard's hand, shutting it down as she did. She looked him over. He was sweating profusely, and seemed tense, but that was hardly surprising. A nasty bruise was starting to appear on his cheek where her hair had struck him down.

Captain Richards stared at her, surprised and angry. She had been playing with him.

"What… why did you do that Katel?" asked Richards earnestly. He was the only person in the chain of command that seemed to have no problem calling her Katel.

"When I probed your mind I felt that you have a level of Force sensitivity that might be handy. We have three weeks doing nothing, so I thought I might show you some things. I needed to test you out, and…. You passed," she finished grudgingly.

"Oh…" Dylan paused, thinking for a moment. "YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME FIRST!" he shouted at her suddenly. He'd been scared out of his wits; he was willing to admit that. And the fact that she'd been playing with him boiled his blood.

Katel backed up a little, surprised and shocked. Someone had shouted at her. No one had ever done that to her before. She had no experience with people being angry at her, and she dealt with it in a manner that many would consider rather childish. She slid to her knees and began to cry.

Richards stared at her, slightly surprised. She was crying. This hard, menacing girl was crying! Then he recalled that she _was_ a girl. Just a girl, barely sixteen years old. She'd probably lived a very sheltered life, with little experience of anger directed at her. Dylan started to feel a little bad for what he'd done, and ran his hands through his hair. He walked over to her, and tentatively placed his hand on her shoulder. She stiffened slightly, her hitching whimpers halting. Without warning, she lashed out, sending Dylan flying across the room with a Force push. He slammed straight into a repeater station and snapped it off its pylon, then fell to the ground. He lay still, clutching his bruised chest.

Katel swiped her hand across her eyes, clearing them of her tears, and shot an angry glare at Captain Richards. How dare he presume to tell her what to do? She was going to teach him a lesson. She was going to- she was going to train him in the way of the Force. Yes, her original plan. She was going to play him, teach him the ways of the Force for a few weeks, find Godhammer, a few more weeks of training coming back, and then never see him again. Just something to occupy her time while they had the dull hyperspace transits.

* * *

Yu'han Meshik kicked a piece of metal piping, cursing softly. He'd hoped to be able to scavenge something from the _Twyleth Teg_ but so far he'd found nothing. He stared across the docking bay, where big piles of the remains of the _Teg_ had been placed. He watched his crew scurrying over the piles of junk, hoping for something they could salvage and either sell or use to modify what they owned.

Yu'han was a smuggler. Actually, he was more than that. In the Rosh'tok sector of the Chossok Region he was the king of crime. His fleet was the biggest privately owned in the Chossok Region. The only fleet that was bigger than his was that of the Chossok Republic. But they'd never really disturbed him. He and them had an unspoken deal, that allowed the Republic to go about its business while he went about his. But now something had happened. Something bad. Outsiders had entered Chossok space.

Granted, their ships were weak, but that wasn't the point. The point was that they had found the Chossok, and had managed to find the map to the _Godhammer_, if the information he'd received through the grapevine was correct. And that was very bad.

Yu'han paused to stare at himself in a reflective piece of junk. He was a huumen, as were the majority of the Chossok. The outsiders looked very similar to huumen Chossok, except that huumens had dark reddish skin, and completely black eyes and all had raven black hair. Other than that these outsiders looked exactly like huumens. Yu'han reflected on his purpose as a Chossok. According to legend, the Chossok had been chosen to protect the _Godhammer_ and its ilk from people who would misuse it, like these outsiders.

The Chossok went about their everyday lives, quite content with their little piece of space, all the while maintaining the secrets of the _Godhammer_. That was why they had never bothered exploring the rest of the galaxy. Had they spread word of the _Godhammer_ would have spread along with them. By not traveling, they ensured secrecy. Until now, anyway.

Yu'han tossed the piece of junk he held back on the pile, and headed towards the transporter. He stepped into it and was transposed into sub-atomic particles, then was reassembled almost instantly up in his command room. Was he worried that every time he did this he effectively killed himself? No, of course not. He knew that no matter how many times the physical avatar was killed the soul lived on. The avatar was a mere shell.

He looked around his command bridge, smiling. There were fifteen others there. Most were huumens, but there were two Krimgorfs and a Moncali amongst his crew. The Krimgorfs were similar to huumens, but had folded, creased brows, and were much hairier. The Moncali was an amphibious creature, with brown leathery skin, and great bulbous eyes on either side of his head.

He walked up to the main helm of his ship, and placed his hand over one crystal, shifting it slightly. His ship, the _Aswan Specter_, began to slowly turn in space, to face his other ships that were pulling in junk.

The _Aswan Specter_ was an _Aryianrod_-Class Commandship, armed to the teeth. It was a two kilometer long split W shape, with the main bridge located between the two wings that extended backwards. Located to the left and right of the bridge were two of the five hundred meter long Obelisk Cannons, the heaviest conventional weaponry in the Chossok arsenal. Studded along the wings were over a hundred Pyrebeam Obelisks, and it had twenty tachyon missile tubes. It also had powerful shields, and good sublight engines. Overall, the _Aswan Specter _was a ship that symbolized all the power and influence Yu'han wielded.

Looking out the viewport, Yu'han could see the cylindrical shapes of several _Ruhiger_-Class Frigates, the U-shape design of two _Chandrilla_-Class Destroyers and one hulking pyramidal shape that was a _Zephyrion_-Class Carrier. The pyramid seemed to have ants swarming all over it, but Yu'han knew these to be his _Chesler_-class shuttles hauling in whatever junk they could locate. If nothing else, Yu'han could sell the raw materials he had and at least double the traveling costs he'd had to pay.

"Yu'han. Here's your report on the state of the material."

Yu'han turned to face his second-in-command, Angelus. It was a curious name, very foreign sounding. Yu'han had no idea how her parents had come up with the name, but Angelus didn't seem to mind it. She was slim and athletic, and had her hair cut to just above her shoulders. She wore a bio-organic fibersuit, and strapped to her waist were several implements, and one heavy Craker pistol.

He took the datapad from Angelus, nodded, and began to peruse the details. It seemed there was more salvageable material than he'd expected. Of the sixteen obelisk cannons that the _Twyleth_ had possessed, four had been found to be pretty much intact. One part of the pulsar bow cannon was also intact, and would sell for a pretty penny. The best part had been the discovery that when the _Twyleth Teg_ had been destroyed the left wing had broken cleanly before blowing up, and the break had been right along the hangar. Thirty four barely damaged _Hawkner_-class fighters had fallen right into his lap. A very good day's work in fact.

As the _Specter_ continued to rotate, the orb of Dov'nik II came into view and Yu'han immediately sobered up. The planet still glowed red from whatever had been done to it, reducing the crust to molten slag. Yu'han couldn't believe that anything would have that much power, unless it was a lot of ships working in tandem. And even if they had done it, it was more the viciousness behind it that stunned Yu'han. Why would anyone want to destroy a planet full of innocents? It didn't make sense. Yu'han's heart went out to those who had been punished by these outsiders.

The Chossok Republic Senate wouldn't take this lightly. He wouldn't be surprised if even now a declaration of war was being drawn up and the fleets prepared. Yu'han intended to stay out of this conflict though. He actually believed it was foolhardy. Dov'nik II had been destroyed. The map of the _Godhammer_ had either been retrieved or destroyed, and either way it was too late. Why stir up more conflict? And taking ships packed with _Godhammer_ technology into regions where they could be captured surely wasn't the wisest idea.

"Yu'han! Yu'han! We have something you might want to see! It's from Jaz," snapped Angelus from another point on the bridge. She handed him a mindcrystal, and he clutched it in his hand. In his mind a fuzzy image appeared, and then began to sharpen. The image bobbed a bit, but that was normal. After all, Yu'han was now looking through Jaz's eyes, hearing with his ears. Jaz was the commander of the _Bas Perquait_, one of the Destroyers.

The image was that of a type of ship that Yu'han couldn't identify. It had a ball-shaped cockpit, with a hexagonal viewport in the front. The ship sported three large panels, roughly triangular in form that extended from the hull at measured distances around the perimeter. They were black, and reminded him of radiant heat sinks. It didn't seem to have visible engines, but then neither did Chossok ships, so that was no matter. The whole thing looked a lot like a three-fingered hand holding tightly to a ball.

The view bobbed a little more as Jaz approached the ship. He was cautious, and he held a snub-rifle in his hands, the tip wavering slightly. He peered into the cockpit, and spotted the prone form of a pilot sprawled in the pilot's chair. There was a slight stirring inside, and the pilot raised his helmeted head. Suddenly, a shout vibrated through Yu'han's head as Jaz roared orders to people in the docking bay. There was a faint hum, and then energy lanced from the tips of the three panels, and Yu'han heard explosions. Jaz hefted his snub-rifle, aimed, and fired at the cockpit. The bolt hit the transparisteel and bounced off, into the floor, but it did get the attention of the pilot. There was a small moment as the pilot fiddled with something in the cockpit, and then a laser bolt blasted from the top panel at an unusual angle, straight at Jaz. The link the mindcrystal provided Yu'han fizzed out, and he cursed loudly.

"Damn it! We have a live and very dangerous outsider. Get me to the _Perquait_, now!"

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

Ah, Nikana, you are indeed a sharp one. Yes the Krimgorfs have connections to Klingons, as the Moncali do to the Mon Calimarians. But you were slightly incorrect about the TIE Defender. The TIE Defender does have three panels, but they are split panels. These are just plain triangular panels. The ship's model is that of the Phantom, a TIE that was featured in Rebel Assault II. It was fairly fast, sported three cannons in its wingtips along with two in the hull, and possessed a complete cloak capability.

Original vessels introduced this chapter:

_Godhammer_-Class Starstation

Incursion Sphere

_Defender_-Class Star Monitor

TIE Demolisher

TIE Predator

TIE Armageddon

TIE Enforcer

TIE Retaliator

TIE Retribution

TIE Shadow A-Type

TIE Vampyr-II

* * *

**Angels and Demons: Searching for Elysium**

_Chapter 4_

**Begin process.**

**Process initialized. **

**Initialize 01. Power up main capacitors.**

**Main capacitors powered up.**

**Initialize 02. Power up main reactors.**

**Main reactors at maximum output.**

**Initialize 03. Re-assess safety matrix program. **

**Assessment complete. Proceed.**

**Begin step one. Charge timeflux cannon.

* * *

**

Yu'han scrambled out of the transporter, clutching his stun rifle. He'd pulled on some blaster armour, though he doubted it would make much difference against fighter cannons. He nodded to the man waiting beside the transporter.

"Paramina. What's the situation?" asked Yu'han hurriedly as he trotted towards the bulky doors that separated this bay from the hangar. As he punched the access panel's main release valve, he listened to Paramina attentively.

"Twelve dead. The outsider shot up the hangar pretty bad. We've sustained heavy damage, so the hangar will be out of use for a fair while. Whether by skill or luck, the outsider managed to demolish the main defense obelisk with his first shot." Paramina pushed his long sweaty hair out of his face, and gasped slightly. Yu'han turned to him, and only now noticed the bandage that was wrapped around Paramina's torso.

"You're hurt. How bad?" asked Yu'han swiftly. Paramina winced and then cracked a weak smile.

"Not too bad… just got a bit of a burn when I climbed up on the ship to gas that killer. Those black panels are raging hot…"

Yu'han nodded and stepped through the now open door. He saw that three of his crew had contained the newcomer in a stasis ring, and there he would stay until Yu'han was ready to question him. Yu'han headed towards the fighter instead.

The fighter gleamed a dull blue-grey, and had an octagonal viewport in the front. Through it Yu'han could see a cramped cockpit. Yu'han glanced at the panels. They were connected to a triangular prism that joined the ball at the back, and they arrowed forward, tapering to points a few meters in front of the ball. Yu'han thought they looked sort of frail, and he didn't think the fighter was supposed to rest on the panels as it currently was. But that wasn't his problem. He waved over two men from beside the stasis ring.

"You," Yu'han indicated the taller, broad man of the pair. "I want you to rig this fighter up on something. I don't think it's meant to sit like that. I want it analyzed and I want one of our pilots to learn how it functions."

Yu'han turned to the smaller man, who was slightly stocky.

"I want you to take our guest to the interrogation chamber. Make him comfy." Yu'han's voice had a cold sarcastic edge that would have chilled the TIE pilot's blood had he been conscious to hear it.

* * *

**Step one complete. Timeflux cannon charged.**

**Finalize initial checks. Complete.**

**Activate compensators. Complete. Activate projectors. Complete.**

**Initialize firing sequence. **

**5**

**4**

**3**

**2**

**1**

**Fire.**

**Cannons discharged successfully.

* * *

**

A steady buzz filled the darkened room. Suddenly a flash of light was emitted and a grunt of pain was heard.

"OW! Bloody hell, Katel… how does being shot by a seeker train me to be a Jedi?" Dylan grumbled, as he jumped sideways to avoid a second shot.

Katel, seated in her chair, smiled cruelly in the darkness. He would see what the training was for.

"Sith Lord, Richards. The term is Sith Lord. Jedi are filth. Long dead filth. As for this training? It enhances reflexes and agility. And it seems you need it quite a lot." Katel giggled mischievously. She heard Dylan swear again as another blaster bolt hit him. In her mind, she could feel his frustration and anger welling.

"Well that's all very well and good, but…" Dylan hopped out of the way of a bolt, which twanged off the floor a mere inch from him, and continued speaking. "I don't see why I can't have something to defend myself, or at least be allowed to see."

Katel merely smiled. He was restraining his anger well, but it was there, brewing headily. Another blaster bolt hit Dylan, this time in the leg, and he broke.

"Argh!" roared Dylan as he grouped sightlessly for the seeker. It buzzed and hummed as it ducked easily from his outstretched hands. In frustration, Dylan made a fruitless swipe for the seeker, and the seeker was sent flying across the room by a powerful Force push. It slammed into the wall and exploded with a weak squeal.

The lights returned to normal, and Katel spun her chair to face Dylan. He was panting and still seemed irritated, but there was a blend of pride mixed in too.

"Well done. As you can see, anger is a valuable tool. Harness it Captain." Katel was about to continue her tutelage when there was a slight shudder and the _Nova_ jolted slightly. Richards perked up, his eyes brightening as he realized what it meant.

"Ah. We've come out of hyperspace." Suddenly a cloud crossed his features as something occurred to him. "We weren't scheduled for exit for an hour at least."

Katel clicked her intercom, waving Dylan towards the repeater stations. He glanced at the monitor, and saw what he'd thought was right. They'd dropped out early. It seemed a gravity well had manifested where one had not been three weeks prior.

"Status report Admiral. What's happened?" Katel asked, calm and collected.

The intercom fell silent, then crackled as a reply was issued.

"Lady… Katel. I think you want to see this. Bring up visuals, magnify the starboard quadrant." Admiral Trask's voice was oddly strained. Katel wondered at it, then nodded at Dylan, who punched in the commands. In front of them, a holographic screen spat forth an image of a blur that filled the whole screen. As it came into focus, Dylan gasped.

It was a giant metal sphere. Huge in fact, covered in terraced metal, and cannons, and who knows what else. It reminded him of the legendary Death Stars. Checking the monitors, he corrected himself. No, it was more than a Death Star. The second Death Star had measured in at around 900 kilometers. This sphere… was over sixty thousand kilometers in diameter. Dylan's eyes widened. The mass was absolutely enormous!

Katel seemed not to have too great a comprehension of how big it was. Or maybe she just hid surprise well.

"It seems, dear Captain…" Katel's voice was silky with satisfaction, "that we have discovered the _Godhammer_."

* * *

**Wormhole stabilized. **

**Launch Incursion Sphere designation 90274**

**Incursion Sphere designation 90274 launched**

**Initiate remote intelligence activation routine**

**Remote intelligence activation routine complete

* * *

**

Dylan was busily running diagnostics of the _Godhammer_ when Katel called to him.

"Captain. What's that?" she asked, pointing to the holographic screen. Richards shot a look at the screen. They were approaching the _Godhammer _at a vectored course, and were slowly moving around it. What Katel was pointing at had, until now, been hidden by the _Godhammer_'s immense bulk. It was a glowing, whirling vortex suspended in space. And headed towards it was… a smaller sphere.

Katel seemed to hold some interest in the sphere, and clicked her intercom to contact Trask.

"Take us closer. Maximum acceleration. Oh… and raise shields, full power." Katel added the last part almost as an afterthought. Dylan gaped at her. He rushed up to her and, mustering as much respect as he could, decided to offer his view.

"Are you sure this is wise Katel? That vessel alone is over two hundred kilometers. And the _Godhammer_, well… it's beyond what I thought possible. I advise we take more caution." Katel glanced at him, and then back at the screen.

"Your thoughts have been duly noted Captain Richards. Maintain present course," she ordered into the intercom. Dylan sighed, and decided to move to the main command deck.

"A good idea Captain, I shall follow." Katel stretched and got out of her seat, then padded out of the room behind Dylan.

Admiral Trask stood stiffly beside Katel, who was seated above the rest of the command crew. Captain Richards was down observing a sensor console. He was watching for anything out of the ordinary.

_Anything other than a giant mechanical planet and a wormhole_, thought Dylan sourly. Suddenly there was a blip on his console. Dylan glanced at it, and paled noticeably. He dashed up to where Admiral Trask stood.

"Admiral. Enemy fighters have been deployed. Headed in our direction." Dylan reported. Trask nodded, then asked the obvious question.

"How many are there?" Dylan grimaced. This was the bad part.

"At least three thousand. Approaching us fast. We're only ten thousand klicks from them." Dylan waited to see what the command would be. It was as he'd expected.

"Scramble the TIE squadrons. All of them. All the support craft too. Blastboats, Assault Ships, shuttles, everything. And have the _Dark Whisperer_ dispatch its fighter compliment too."

"Yes sir." Dylan saluted and went to issue the order. A full scale scramble? That would be unheard of for a ship this size in a normal battle. But of course, the odds were heavily against them. They only had a little over a thousand ships. Granted, the _Dark Whisperer _was a monitor, but how much help would that be?

The strange fighters roared in towards the red point on the horizon that was the _Nova_. They were all entirely automated, controlled by the super-intelligence that monitors the _Godhammer_. They were curiously shaped fighters, roughly diamond-shaped, with no obvious engines and of course, no cockpits. They raced towards the _Nova _at incredible speeds, and as they neared the ship, broke off into coordinated groups, swooping, rolling, twisting and maneuvering in ways Captain Richards wouldn't have thought possible.

From the large docking bay halfway down the dorsal hull of the _Nova_ came a wave of TIEs, a huge mass of them. They were all TIE Defenders, which made up the bulk of the fighter complement aboard the _Nova_. Though old, the Defender model was still one of the most effective and cost-efficient models in existence and was still heavily used. Captain Richards checked the status reports. The first 5 squadrons had been launched.

The TIEs screamed out into space, pulling tight turns and twists as they shot into combat against the hordes of enemy fighters. Richards let himself calm down a bit as wave after wave of TIEs were deployed from the _Nova_. The great ship held 1020 fighters, and of that compliment, 960 were being launched. The only ones to remain in the docking bay were the TIE Demolishers, heavy bombers that would provide little help in the massive space battle.

After 6 waves of TIE Defenders emerged from the _Nova_, two waves each of TIE Enforcers, Retaliators and Retribution fighters swept into the battle, then a single wave each of TIE Predators, Armageddons, Shadow A-Types and Vampyr-IIs followed. Captain Richards smiled. Maybe they wouldn't be as outclassed as he'd originally thought. Most of the ships were top of the line.

The fighters drew within range of each other and suddenly the area outside the viewport was filled with lances of laser fire. Richards watched the ships dive and weave and blast each other in a deadly dance of fire. He glanced at the monitor and was pleased to see that the Skipray Blastboats and Gamma-class Assault shuttles were also being launched.

Several thousand kilometers from the _Nova_, a tri-paneled Defender shot through space, with two of the strange diamond-fighters on its tail. It weaved and dodged, trying to avoid the lasers of the alien fighters as best it could, but its shields were taking heavy damage. Suddenly, it spiraled into a tight downward arc, just as the TIE Predator that had been racing towards it fired its mini-turbolasers. The four beams of powerful green light shot from the quadruple panels of the TIE, and two struck the alien fighters, which exploded.

Nearby, the strange shape of a TIE with two flat triangular panels that extended outwards from the hull shot through space at an incredible speed. This TIE Retaliator was being followed by a diamond fighter that was launching a volley of micro-missiles towards it. The TIE pulled into a loop-the-loop, and swung behind the strange fighter, blowing it to pieces just before the missiles caught up to it and destroyed the TIE.

Captain Richards watched these happenings, and several others, with increasing joy. Though outnumbered almost 3-to-1, so far the _Nova's_ forces were shredding apart the enemy. And the _Nova_ itself was about to enter the fray. Richards glanced at Admiral Trask. Trask was watching a monitor that showed the mass of dots getting steadily closer. He waited a few seconds, and an indicator blinked green. He triggered his comm. and ordered calmly, "Full point-defense broadside."

Richards frowned at the order. They were likely to hit a lot of their own ships with a full broadside. Apparently Katel thought so as well, as she placed her hand on Trask's shoulder.

"Override that order, Captain. Let's just watch. And assist where it is needed."

Admiral Trask nodded silently, anger in his eyes. He was the Admiral, he should be making the orders. Instead, he relayed the order and watched. The enemy fighters were just about done in, and the Imperial force hadn't suffered as badly as everyone had believed. They'd lost 60 Defenders, around 12 of the Enforcers and Retaliators, and a few each of the Predators, Armageddons, Retributions and Vampyrs. No Shadows had been lost in the battle. Seven squadrons worth of ships in total. In all, a small loss compared to what they'd just defeated.

* * *

**Defense fleet 0142 destroyed.**

**Threat condition upgraded.**

**Threat condition Level 5.**

**Dispatch Defense fleet 0143 to 0232.**

**Avert Incursion Sphere designation 90274 for defense against unknown intruders.**

**Tasks completed.

* * *

**

Dylan glanced at the monitor, and was disturbed to see that the smaller sphere had changed its direction and now seemed to be headed towards them. He was about to tell the Admiral when something else caught his attention. A great swarm of fighters leaving the _Godhammer_. The ships computers did some calculations and then came up with a figure that was obviously incorrect. Dylan ran the calculations twice more and got the same answer. His faced paled and he broke into a sweat.

"Uh, Admiral? Fighters coming up on the port. Twenty thousand klicks. A lot sir."

Trask glared at him, as if Richards was responsible for this new disturbance.

"How many is a lot, Captain?"

Richards gulped and stammered "A.. around 260 thousand… sir."

Trask stared at him, then walked steadily to the monitor and checked it. When he glanced back up, his eyes were gleaming with the knowledge that this force was far beyond their abilities to fight.

"Very good, Captain. Warm up the hyperdrive units, and recall all ships. We're leaving." Trask's voice was strained, but still meticulously controlled. For that one moment, Captain Richards felt a flash of admiration for Trask, and sympathy at what he must have to go through with such decisions. Then it all went to hell and high water.

* * *

"Argh… my head…"

Lieutenant Chand moaned as he returned to consciousness. At the edges of his fuzzy vision were two red-skinned humans. He lurched upwards with horror, but was jerked back into place with electromag restraints.

He looked around wildly and found himself staring straight into the optical sensors of an antiquated protocol droid. It was of a unique construction, one he'd not seen before.

"Greetings. I am 9DK3. My function is that of protocol droid and I am to translate for you. Your language is archaic, but very similar to my master's. You will learn it very quickly."

One of the men barked something that Chand _almost_ understood. It was hovering on the tip of his tongue when Deekay spoke.

"My master bids you welcome. His name is Yu'han and he is the leader of the Corullag Pirate Fleet. He is most displeased with you."

Chand moaned as he let himself digest this information. Chand was an ordinary Imperial pilot. He had black hair, tied back in a ponytail, and a lean body. He was Corellian by birth, and he flew like one for sure. And one other thing, he was an Imperial all the way. He loved his Empire, the great peacekeeper that it was. Imperial propaganda had done a good job with this boy.

"Okay, fine. My name is Barun Chand. I am a servant of the Empire and my Emperor." Chand knew he couldn't very well tell these aliens he meant them no harm when the planet they were orbiting had been rendered uninhabitable by his fleet.

The droid translated, Yu'han paused, and spoke again. Deekay quickly translated.

"My master wishes to know why your fleet came and destroyed our planet."

Chand hesitated and thought about what he was to say. He didn't know that much, being of low rank. However, he had heard rumors. Hesitantly, he voiced them.

"I have heard that… that you destroyed one of our ships. That you acted in an open and hostile manner towards our ship, which was a first-contact dispatch." Chand looked up at Yu'han, noting the enourmous similarities between humans and these aliens.

Yu'han's face distorted and he spat on the floor in deep disgust. He then began to shout at Chand, a tirade of gibberish that Chand could almost understand. Deekay dutifully translated.

"My master says that what you have heard is all lies. He has evidence to suggest that your ship opened hostilities against us."

Chand laughed, knowing he was risking the wrath of his 'host'.

"Tell Yu'han he is the fool. The Empire is the peacekeeping force of the galaxy. They wouldn't open hostilities on a planet for no reason." Chand was very sure of his answer, and couldn't help but feel angered by this man who was obviously trying to deceive him.

As Deekay translated, Yu'han uttered a humourless laugh, and barked an order at the other alien. Suddenly Chand felt his restraints cease to exist, and felt instead a hard rifle digging into his back.

"Yu'han reiterates his point. You are a blind fool. Yu'han is your saviour, and it is time for him to make you see." Deekay offered helpfully as Yu'han stalked out of the room, followed by Chand and his guard.

* * *


End file.
